Window envelope machine



April 1959 o. P. WELSH 2,880,656

WINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1954 1N VEN TOR.

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WINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed June 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J5 J4 J5 j?:1 w A g I" ,M in J 74 a 3 6 m i i i -@z' J55 16% 70 wmfimms f I. 154 72g} I \E m #7: ;:it: v v y;r;j; r. 5 1' 73 3E 5 ,y I L -L EN TOR.

United States Patent '0 "ice 80456 Patented Apr. 7, 19.59

economies may be effected since it is unnecessary to build an entireenvelope processing machine for processing only 2,880,656 envelopeblanks having windows therein. With the at- WINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINEOrmonde P. Welsh, Minneapolis, Minn., assiguor to Parten MachineryCompany, Minneapolis, Minn., a partnership Application June 25, 1954,Serial No. 439,335 6 Claims. (Cl. 9361) The present invention relates toa novel apparatus for applying patches to blanks and, more particularly,to a novel method and apparatus for applying window patches to envelopeblanks having pre-formed window openings therein.

It has heretofore been the general practice when applying window patchesto envelope blanks to build a separate envelope blank processingmachine, including means for applying glue or adhesive material directlyto the envelope blanks, and means for subsequently applying a windowpatch to the glued blank. Considerable difiiculty has often beenencountered in applying the patches so that the adhesive material on theblank is completely covered while the blanks and patches are movingthrough the apparatus at high speeds. It is obvious that in the event apatch were not properly applied to a glued blank, the exposed glue onthe blank might cause fouling and jamming of the apparatus. It is,therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for applying window patches to envelope blanks rapidly andeconomically and in a manner such that the glue or adhesive materialbetween the window patches and the blanks is always fully covered,whereby to eliminate any possibility of the glue fouling the blanks orthe apparatus.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novelmethod and apparatus for feeding window patches and applying glue oradhesive material thereto in a manner so that the patches are broughtinto proper registration with blanks moving along a path of travel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novelapparatus, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which apparatus isoperable to discard a patch having glue applied thereto whenever aninterruption occurs in the flow of envelope blanks through theapparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-sectional view illustrating anapparatus embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 22 in Fig.l;

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an envelopeblank having a window patch applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Fig. l withsome elements omitted; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line5-5 in Fig. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, anapparatus embodying the features of this invention is shown best inFigs. 1 and 4. Preferably, the window patch applying and gluingapparatus 10 is in the form of an attachment which may readily bemounted on various envelope folding and processing machines. With suchan attachment, substantial tachment of the present invention, manystandard enve lope processing machines may quickly and easily beconverted to a machine for handling window type envelope blanks. Asshown best in Fig. 4, the attachment 10 includes a pair of side framemembers 12 which are connected together by spacing sleeves 14. Theattachment may readily be mounted between side frame members 16 of themain envelope processing machine by sliding the sleeves 14 over mainframe spreader bars 18. Furthermore, with this arrangement, theattachment may be easily adjusted laterally so that window patches maybe applied to any desired portion of an envelope blank.

The window patches are preferably formed from a strip 20 of suitablestock material such as cellophane or glassine and, thus, a roll 22 ofthe stock material is supported between the attachment side framemembers 12 onan axle 24. The strip 20 is passed between a pair of feedrollers 26 and 28 which are rotatably mounted in any suitable manner andthen around a tensioning roller 30 to a suction roller 32. The suctionroller carries oppositely disposed anvil members 34 and 36 which areadapted to cooperate with knife blades 38 and 40 carried by a roller 42for separating the strip 20 into a plurality of window patches. Thesuction roller which will be described in more detail hereinbelow isadapted to grip the severed window patches and apply them against theenvelope blanks. In the particular embodiment illustrated,

envelope blanks 44 are fed in predetermined timed relationship by meansof a suitably driven timing chain 46 to a position between the suctionroller 32 and a pressure and gathering roller 48 where the patches arepressed against the blanks. The gathering roller 48 is provided withsuction ports 50 which intermittently communicate with a suitable sourceof vacuum, not shown, through the hollow roller shaft 52 for pulling theblanks away from the roller 32. Endless belt means 54 is wrapped aroundthe roller 48 and an idler roller 56 so that as the blanks are drawndownwardly by the roller 48, they are stripped from the roller andstacked on any suitable means, such as a conveyor 58.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, means is providedfor applying glue or adhesive material to the window patches while thepatches are being conveyed by the suction roller 32 and before thepatches are applied against the envelope blanks. Thus, a roller 60,mounted on a shaft 62, is provided with rubber glue dies 64 for applyingglue to the window patches on the roller 32. In the particularembodiment illustrated, the envelope blank is shown as having agenerally rectangular Window opening 66, and a rectangular window patch68 is provided for covering the opening. Thus, the glue dies 64 areshaped to apply a rectangular band of glue or adhesive material to themarginal portions of the window patches 68. It is, of course, understoodthat the apparatus may be adapted for handling window patches of varioussizes and shapes. Preferably, the glue applying roller 60 is adjustabletoward and away from the suction roller 32 to permit the window patchmaterial to be initially threaded through the apparatus, or for anyother desired purpose, and this is accomplished by journaling the shaft62 in brackets 70, pivoted to the side frame members 12 by pins 72. Theupper end of at least one of the brackets 70 is provided with anadjustable screw 74 which is engageable with an accentric cam 76 fixedon a shaft 78. Thus, by rotating the shaft 78 through a suitable handleor crank 80, the glue applying roller may be swung to and fromoperative, and inoperative positions.

In order to supply glue or adhesive material to the dies .64, a gluesupply through 82 is supported by any suitable means, not shown,adjacent the roller 60, and a glue transfer roller 84 is mounted on ashaft 86 journ'aled in the ends of the trough. The roller 84 is partlysubmerged in a body of glue or adhesive material in the supply troughand also contacts the die 64 for transferring the adhesive material fromthe trough to the dies. An adjustable blade 88 is provided forcontrolling the thickness of the film of glue formed on the transferroller 84. Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided for adjustingthe distance between the edge of the blade 88 and the roller 84. Ifdesired, an auxilliary supply of glue or adhesive material may beprovided in a suitably supported reservoir 9i) connected with the troughthrough a conduit 92. With this structure, the level of the glue Withinthe trough 82 will remain substantially constant.

The glue or adhesive applying roller 60 is preferably constructed fromtwo or more segments 94 and 9,6. These segments can be moved angularlyto provide adjustment for registering the glue dies 64 with patchescarried on the suction roller 32. Any suitable means, not shown, such asscrews and the like, may be provided for retaining the segments of theglue applying roll in the desired adjusted position.

Another important feature of the present invention is found in themanner in which the patch is retained on the suction roller 32,especially during the application of the glue to the patch. As shownbest in Figs. 1 and 2, the roll 32 is provided with a plurality ofsuction ports 98 arranged in rows extending longitudinally of the rolland spaced circumferentially around the roll. Each row of suction ports98 communicates with one of a plurality of passageway 18% extendinglongitudinally through the roll. Suction is selectively applied to thepassageways 1:98 and the ports associated therewith so that one row ofsuction ports is operative to grip the forward or leading marginalportion of a patch While the remaining ports are inoperative. With thisstructure, the patch is firmly held by its leading edge and pulled awayfrom the glue applying roller while, on the other hand, if the suctionwere evenly distributed over substantially the entire area of the patch,there would be a substantial tendency for the patch to pulled away fromthe ports by the glue applying roller. By providing a plurality of rowsof suction ports 98 which may be selective used, the apparatus may bereadily adapted for handling window patches of dilferent widths.

In order to seiectively apply suction to the ports 98, the roller 32 isfixed on a rotatable shaft 1'02. An end plate or flange 104 surroundsthe shaft 102 and is held against rotation by a fixed bracket arm I06.The end plate 104 is resiliently urged toward the roller 32 by acompression spring 183 acting between the end plate and a collar 118 tomaintain a substantially airtight joint. The end plate is provided withan elongated arcuate passageway 112 which is connected to suitablevacuum apparatus, not shown, by a line 114 and is adapted to registerwith each of the passageways 188. However, a cap 116 is disposed betweenthe roller 32 and the end plate Elli-4, which cap is provided with asingle aperture 3.18. Thus, by rotating the cap 116 relative to theroller 32, the aperture may selectively be brought into registrationwith one of the passageways 100 so as to establish communication betweenthis passageway 160 and the passageway 112. Any suitable means, such asscrews 128, may be provided for retaining the cap in the desiredadjusted position.

Operation of the apparatus described above is as follows. The strip 20of material, such as cellophane or glassine, is first fed through therollers 26 and 28, around the roller 30 and into the suction roller 32.A floating friction roller 122 is provided for maintaining a portion ofthe web or strip 20 between the knife blades 38 and 40 and the roller 30under tension. The apparatus is then driven from any suitable source ofpower, not shown. It is, of course, understood that the envelope blankfeeding and timingchain 46 is driven in timed relationship with thewindow patch applying attachment rollers and this may be accomplished byany well known drive means such as belts, gears and the like, not shown.In the embodiment illustrated, the timing chain may be driven in timedrelationship with the gathering roller 48, and the suction roller 122 ismounted on a shaft 124 having a gear 126 thereon, which gear is drivenfrom the roller 48 by gear means, not shown. At the opposite ends of theshaft 124 is a pulley 128, which pulley drives a V-belt 130 wrappedaround a second pulley 132 for driving the feed roller 28. The gear 126meshes with a gear 134 keyed to a shaft 136 carrying the knife roller 42and the gear 134 meshes with an idler gear 138 on the shaft 78. In orderto drive the glue applying roller 60, a gear 140 is mounted on the shaft62 for meshing engagement with the idler gear 138. In addition, anothergear 142 is keyed or otherwise fixed on the shaft 62 for driving thegear 144 mounted on the glue transfer roller shaft 86. Thus, as thetiming chain 46 and gathering roller 48 are driven, the various rollersof the attachment 10 are also driven in timed relationship. As theattachment rollers revolve, the web or strip 20 is fed between thesuction roller 32 and the knife roller 42 and one of the knivescooperates with one of the anvils to cut a patch from the web. In orderto space the belts on the suction roller 32, in accordance with thespacing of the blanks moving along the chain 46, the roller 32 is movedsubstantially faster than the web or strip 20. Therefore, in order toprevent tearing of the web when the patch is severed, it is necessary toprovide slack in the web and this is accomplished by mounting the roller30 on a bracket 146 pivotally supported on a shaft 148. The bracket isnormally urged upwardly by spring 150 but is maintained in a downwardweb tightening position by a cam 152 mounted on the shaft 136 during theintervals between the cutting operations. A patch, which is grippedadjacent its leading marginal portion by the suction ports 98, assumesthe speed of the suction roller 32 upon severance from the web 20 and iscarried by the glue applying roller 60 to receive glue therefrom, afterwhich the patch is applied to a blank passing between the rollers 32 and48. With this novel method and apparatus, it is seen that high speedoperation may be obtained while at the same time complete coverage ofthe glue or adhesive material by the window patch is assured whereby toprevent fouling or jamming of the apparatus.

In the event a blank is missing from a series of blanks fed by thetiming chain 46, it is obvious that a patch having glue applied theretowould foul the gathering roller 48. Therefore, in accordance withanother feature of the present invention, means is provided for insuringthat a window patch will be delivered to thenormal position forapplication to a blank only when a blank will also be in this position.This means includes a valve 154 in the suction line 114 and means forclosing the valve to shut off the suction whenever an interruption inthe series of envelope blanks occurs. When the suction to the wheel 32is shut off, a window patch will be picked from the Wheel by the gluedies 64 on the roller 68. In order to strip such patches from the diesand prevent fouling of the rollers, one or more wires 156 are suitablymounted for engaging the surface of ;the roller as and stripping windowpatches therefrom. ;Preferably, the glue applying dies 64 are providedwith notches 158 for receiving the fingers or wires 156. A tray 158 isdisposed beneath the fingers of wires 1-56 for receiving the windowpatches therefrom.

In order to operate the valve 154 whenevenan interruption in the flow ofenvelope blanks occurs and ;i n proper timed relationship, a pair ofelectrical contacts 162 and 164 are provided, between which the blanksmust pass. These contacts are connected to a solenoid 166 throughsuitable electrical lines 168 and 170 so that as long as the fiow ofblanks is uninterrupted, the circuit remains open and the solenoid isde-energized. However, when an interruption in the flow of blanksoccurs, the contact between the members 162 and 164 enables the circuitto be closed to energize the solenoid and advance the solenoid plunger172 against the valve stem 174 and the action of compression spring 176to close the valve. In order to time the closing of the valve so thatthe suction is not shut off prematurely, a timing switch is inserted inthe electrical line 168 and this switch includes brushes 178 and 180disposed for engagement with a suitable contact, not shown, mounted onthe rotating shaft 62.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shownand described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may bechanged without departing from the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An apparatus for applying window patches to blanks moving along apath of travel in predetermined spaced relationship, comprising meansfor feeding patches toward and applying the patches to the blanks movingalong said path of travel, means for applying adhesive material to thepatches prior to the application of the patches to the blanks, and meansoperable to release a patch from said feeding and applying means when ablank is missing from a predetermined arrangement of blanks moving alongsaid path of travel and when the patch is in alignment with the adhesiveapplying means which is operable to pick up a patch released from thefeeding and applying means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means for strippingpatches from the glue applying means and for discarding such patches toprevent fouling of the apparatus.

3. An apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for feedingand applying the patches comprises a suction roller having means forgripping only leading margin portions of said patches, of portions ofthe patches controlling said leading margin portions being free of anygripping means.

4. An attachment adapted to be mounted on an envelope forming machinefor applying window patches to envelope blanks continuously moving alonga path of travel on conveying means of the envelope forming machine,comprising auxiliary frame means mountable on a main frame structure ofthe envelope forming machine, a suction roller mounted on said auxiliaryframe means and continuously rotatable so as to have a predeterminedlineal speed at its periphery, said suction roller including patchgripping port means circumferentially spaced :1 distance greater than apredetermined width of patches to be applied for gripping only leadingmarginal portions of successive patches with the remainder of eachsuecessive gripped patch being free, means for feeding a continuousstrip of patch material to said suction roller at a lineal speed lessthan said predetermined lineal speed, means cooperable with said suctionroller for separating a patch gripped by one of said port means from theremainder of said strip, which patch is then advanced and spaced fromthe remainder of the strip as a result of the difference in linealspeeds of the suction roller and the strip, means mounted on saidauxiliary frame means for applying adhesive material to marginalportions only of the separated patch, said suction roller being disposedto apply the separated patch with adhesive mate rial therein to a blankmoving along said path of travel, and means operable to release a patchfrom said suction roller when a blank is missing from a predeterminedarrangement of blanks moving along said path of travel and when thepatches are in alignment with the adhesive applying means which isoperable to pick up a patch released from the suction roller means.

5. An attachment, as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for feedingthe continuous strip of patch material comprises a pair of feed rollersspaced from said suction roller and mounted on said auxiliary framemeans, a tensioning member disposed between said feed roller and saidsuction roller and engaging the strip to provide a loop therein, andmeans shiftably mounting said tensioning member for movement to aretracted position when the leading end of the strip is gripped by theport means and accelerated to the lineal speed of the suction roller.

6. An attachment, as defined in claim 5, which includes a retainingroller mounted adjacent the periphery of said suction roller formaintaining a severed end of the strip in engagement with the suctionroller when a patch gripped by port means is separated by the strip.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,372,223 Funk Mar. 22, 1921 1,406,661 Levine Feb. 14, 1922 1,827,539Novick Oct. 12, 1931 1,998,701 Berkowitz Apr. 23, 1935 2,061,885 WenslerNov. 24, 1936 2,202,496 La Bombard May 28, 1940 2,606,681 Ridenour Aug.12, 1952 2,613,008 Ouellette Oct. 7, 1952 2,635,776 Cook et al Apr. 21,1953 2,723,604 Fischer Nov. 15, 1955

